Device for storing articles



Jan. 17, 1967 c. WILCKE I DEVICE FOR STORING ARTICLES Filed April 11, 1966 FIG FIG-5 FIG-7 INVENTOR.

CARL WI LCKE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,298,532 DEVICE FOR STORING ARTICLES Carl Wilcke, 200 W. Thruston Blvd.,

\ Dayton, Ohio 45419 Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,802 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-60) This invention relates to a device for storing garden and yard tools and other articles having elongated handles, and more particularly, to an improved container and lid assembly adapted to be used for storing such an ticles as well as for transporting and storing various materials.

The present invention has special reference to a generally cylindrical container having a capacity of approximately twenty gallons and including side and bottom walls which are commonly formed from either galvanized sheet metal or plastic. Such a container is frequently used in a yard for transporting leaves, twigs, grass and the like and when it is notbeing used is commonly stored empty in a garage or basement. Accordingly, the present invention is particularly directed to adapting such a container and lid assembly for use as a storage device for articles having elongated handles, as for example, shovels, rakes, hoes, brooms, mops and the like especially during the time which the container is normally stored empty.

In addition, however, the device of the invention is ideally suited to be used solely for storing such articles, particularly in view of the features that each stored article is conveniently accessible for use Without disturbing the other articles and that all of the articles may be conveniently transported as a group. For example, it is frequently necessary to have a number of such articles in a yard for performing yardwork and it is also desirable to have these articles conveniently accessible at dilferent locations in the yard.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved container and lid assembly of the type described above and which is not only usable for transporting and storing various materials but is also usable as a convenient storage device for a plurality of articles having elongated handles.

Other objects of the invention are to provide convenient removal and return of each article without disturbing other articles and without requiring the user to bend over; to provide means for receiving and retaining the handle of each article in a generally vertical position within the container; to provide means for conveniently transporting the'articles as a group to a dilferent location where the articles are to be used; to provide means for guiding the handle into a generally vertical position within the container; and to provide means for converting a container and lid assembly into a storage device without requiring additional parts or material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG, 1 is a perspective view of a container formed in accordance with the invention and illustrating its use as a storage device for a number of typical articles each having an elongated handle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the container shown in FIG. 1 with a portion broken away to show the position of the handle within the container;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a removable member for mounting Within the lower portion of the container for retaining the end portions of the handles as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4. is :a fragmentary section view of a container showing a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of a container with a portion broken away to show another modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a member adapted to be placed within the lower portion of a container for guiding and retaining the end portions of the handles in accordance with another modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of a lid with a portion broken away to show a lid modification in accordance with the invention.

In the drawing which illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention, FIG. 1 shows a container 10 which is commonly formed from etiher galvanized sheet metal or molded plastic and basically includes a generally cylindrical side wall 12 having a slight frusto-conical configuration so that a plurality of containers can be stacked or nested one within the other. A pair of diametrically spaced handles 14 are mounted on the side wall 12 for carrying the container and a generally flat circular bottom wall 15 is attached to the side wall 12 by rolling an interlocking bead 17 around the bottom periphery of the container.

A circular lid 20 having a central handle 21 and a downward-1y formed circumferential flange 24, is mounted on the container 10 so that the flange 24 surrounds the upper portion of the side wall 12. A plurality of angularly spaced circular openings 25 are formed within an annular portion of the lid 20 inwardly of the flange 24 and are of sufiicient size for conveniently receiving the elongated handles 28 extending from a plurality of articles, as for example, a pair of shovels 30, a broom 31 and a spade 32 which are illustrated in FIG. 1, or any other similar article such as a rake, hoe, push broom and the like.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, positioned within the lower portion of the container 10 and supported by the bottom wall 15 is a circular disk-like member 33 having a downwardly formed peripheral flange 34 and a plurality of angularly spaced pockets or openings 35 which correspond in number and spaced relationship with the openings 25 formed within the lid 20.

The member 33 is removably inserted within the container 10 so that the lower edge of the flange 34 engages the bottom wall 15 thereby spacing the openings 35 slightly above the bottom wall. The end portion 36 of each handle 28 is received within a corresponding opening 35 and is retained therein so that the handle 28 extends substantially vertically within the container 10. Thus by arranging the openings 35 within the member 33 directly under the openings 25 formed within the lid 20, each of the articles is supported and stored in an inverted vertical position so that the center of gravity of each article is generally directly above. the opening 25 receiving its handle 28 and thereby prevents the weight of the article from producing a lateral force tending to tip the container 10.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, FIG. 4 shows a bottom wall 40 which is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced semi-spherical pockets 42 which are arranged substantially the same as the pockets or openings 35 formed within the member 33 shown in FIG. 3. A downwardly formed cylindrical flange 44 is formed around the periphery of the bottom wall 40 and is joined to the lower end portion of the side wall 12 of the container 10 by rolling an interlocking bead 46 which is the same as the bead 17 shown in FIG. 2. Thus the pockets 42 serve the same purpose as the openings 35, that is, to receive and retain the lower end portion 36 of each elongated handle 28 and to prevent the handle from shifting laterally within the container 10. Furthermore, it can be seen that the modification shown in FIG.

4 eliminates the need for a separate insertable member 33 by forming the pockets 42 directly within the bottom wall 40.

, Referring to FIG. 5 which shows another embodiment of the invention, a dome-shaped member 45 is positioned within the lower portion of the container on the bottom wall and provides a sloping surface 47 from which extends an annular surface 48 which is slightly frustoconical in configuration. An annular bottom flange 49 extends outwardly from the lower portion of the member and engages the top surface of the bottom wall 15 and the inner surface of the side wall 12 for spacing the surface 48 concentric with the side wall 12. As shown in FIG. 5, the 'SlOping surface 47 provides a guide for directing the end portion 36 of each handle down into an annular V-shaped groove defined by the surface 48 'of the member 45 and the inner tapered surface of the side wall 12.

Thus the surface 48 cooperates with the inner surface of the sid wall 12 to produce a wedging action on the end portion 36 of each handle 28 and thereby retains and secures the handle 28 in a generally vertical position Within the container 10. It becomes apparent that the modification shown in FIG. 5 eliminates the need for inserting the handle end portion 36 into a corresponding pocket or opening and thus enables an article to be quickly inserted within the container. It also is to be understood that the annular surface 48 and/or sloping surface 47 could be formed as an integral part of the bottom wall of the container therebyeliminating the need for employing a removable member.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a domed-shaped circular member 50 is shown in FIG. 6 and is adapted to be inserted within the lower portion of the container and supported by the bottom wall 15 the same as the member 33. However, the member 50 includes a part spherical surface 51 and an outer peripheral flange 52 having a series of angularly spaced and radially extending ribs 54 which define corresponding pockets 56 therebetween. The function of the surface 51 of the member 50 is essentially the same as the sloping surface 47 shown on the member 45 (FIG. 5), that is, to guide or direct the end portion 36 of a handle down into a corresponding pocket 56. Here also, it is to be understood thatthe pockets 56 and surface 51 could be formed within the bottom wall 15 if desired.

Referring to FIG. 7, a lid 60 is formed in accordance with a slight modification of the invention and includes a series of angularly spaced circular plugs 62 which are partially separated from the material forming the lid 60. Thus the lid 60 may be sold with the plugs 62 and when it is desired to employ the container 10 as a storage device, the plugs 62 are punched from the lid 6% to form the openings 25. Similarly, if the lid 60 is formed from a molded plastic material, the plugs 62 may be formed so that they are partially connected by a thin web of material and thus may be easily punched or separated from the lid 60.

From the drawing and the above description, it can be seen that a container and lid assembly formed in accordance with the present invention provides several desirable features and advantages. Basically, the invention adapts a container and lid ssembly so that it also serves a completely different function, that is, as a device for storing articles so that each article is conveniently accessible for use without requiring the user to bend over or stoop to pick up an article. Furthermore, it can be seen that the articles can be conveniently transported as a group, as for example, into the yard simply by carrying the container 10 by means of the handles 14. In this manner, the container of the invention serves as a mobile storage device so that the articles may be conveniently used at different locations in the garden or yard.

Thus by simply inserting amember into the container,

such as a member 33, 45 or 50 or by changing the configuration of the bottom wall 15 such as by adding the pockets 42 or 56, the handle end portion of each article is positively retained directly under the corresponding opening formed within the lid 20 in which the handle is inserted so that the handle is positioned substantially vertically within the container.- In this manner, the container can serve as a storage device for a significant number of articles and enables any particular article to be conveniently removed and inserted without disturbing the other articles and Without effecting the stability of the container.

As another advantage,-it can be seen that by com bining abottom wall configuration as shown in FIG. 4 with a lid configuration shown in FIG. 7, the container can be easily adapted for use as a storage device without adding any significant material to the container. That is, by forming either a plurality of pockets within the bottom wall 40 or by forming an annular surface 48 within the bottom wall and by forming a series of knock-out plugs 62 within the lid 60, a container can be easily converted into a storage device without additional parts.

Another feature is provided by forming a sloping surface 47 and 51 on either a separate member or within the bottom wall to provide a guide for directing the end portion of a handle from the center area into the cor,- responding pocketor into a wedged relationship with the side wall 12. That is, by employing a sloping surface, slightly less effort is required by the user to guide the handle end portion 36 into a pocket or opening for retaining the handle end portion under the corresponding opening 25 within the lid 20.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1 1 a j 1. In a relatively large container commonly used for transporting or storing various materials and including a generally cylindrical side wall extending upwardly from a circular bottom wall, and having a removable lid in: cluding a peripheral flange surrounding the upper portion of said side wall, the improvement for adapting saidcontainer as a convenient portable storage device for a plurality of articles each having an elongated handle, comprising means defining a plurality of angularly spaced openings within an annular portion of said lid inwardly of said flange and each said opening being of sufiicient size to receive a handle, and a member removably positioned within the lower portion of said container for receiving the end portion of each said handle and for retaining said end portion in general vertical alignment under said opening in said lid through which said handle is inserted to position said handle substantially verti-cally within said container so that the center of gravity of the article is positioned generally above said opening receiving said handle to prevent tipping of said container.

2. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said member removably positioned within said lower portion of said container includes aremovable disk-like member, means forming a corresponding plurality of pockets within an annular portion of said member and means spacing said pockets substantially in general vertical align: ment with corresponding said openings Within said lid for retaining each handle generally vertically within said container.

3. A container as defined in claim 2 including means within the center portion of said disk-like member for guiding each handle end portion outwardly into said corresponding aligned pocket.

4. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said means removably positioned within the lower portion of said container includes means forming an annular surface spaced from said side wall for securing the end portion of a handle by wedging it against said side wall in a position generally directly under said lid opening receiving said handle.

5. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said means defining said openings within said lid includes a plurality of plugs partially connected to said lid and adapted to be punched out when said container is used as a storage device for said article.

6. In a relatively large container commonly used for transporting or storing various materials and including a generally cylindrical side wall extending upwardly from a circular bottom wall, and having a removable lid including a peripheral flange surrounding the upper portion of said side wall, the improvement for adapting said container as a convenient portable storage device for a plurality of articles each having an elongated handle, comprising means defining a plurality of angularly spaced openings within said lid inwardly of said flange and each said opening being of suflicient size to receive a handle, and means formed as an integral part of said bottomwall for receiving the end portion of each said handle and \for retaining said end portion in general vertical alignment under said opening in said lid through which said handle is inserted to position said handle substantially vertically within said container.

7. A container as defined in claim 6 wherein said means formed as an integral part of said bottom wall defines a plurality of angularly spaced pockets within said bottom wall, and wherein said pockets are positioned substantially directly below the corresponding said openings within said lid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,144,229 6/1915 Mueller 21l60 1,482,932 2/ 1924 Keiner 22066 2,230,667 2/1941 Nelson 211- 2,482,372 9/1949 Rossow 15 0-1.5 2,795,350 6/1957 Lapin 22067 3,235,094 2/1966 Otto et al 21l7l CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A RELATIVELY LARGE CONTAINER COMMONLY USED FOR TRANSPORTING OR STORING VARIOUS MATERIALS AND INCLUDING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM A CIRCULAR BOTTOM WALL, AND HAVING A REMOVABLE LID INCLUDING A PERIPHERAL FLANGE SURROUNDING THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SIDE WALL, THE IMPROVEMENT FOR ADAPTING SAID CONTAINER AS A CONVENIENT PORTABLE STORAGE DEVICE FOR A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES EACH HAVING AN ELONGATED HANDLE, COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED OPENINGS WITHIN AN ANNULAR PORTION OF SAID LID INWARDLY OF SAID FLANGE AND EACH SAID OPENING BEING OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO RECEIVE A HANDLE, AND A MEMBER REMOVABLY POSITIONED WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING THE END PORTION OF EACH SAID HANDLE AND FOR RETAINING SAID END PORTION IN GENERAL VERTICAL ALIGNMENT UNDER SAID OPENING IN SAID LID THROUGH WHICH SAID HANDLE IS INSERTED TO POSITION SAID HANDLE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY WITHIN SAID CONTAINER SO THAT THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE ARTICLE IS POSITIONED GENERALLY ABOVE SAID OPENING RECEIVING SAID HANDLE TO PREVENT TIPPING OF SAID CONTAINER. 